California Employment Law Report

2012 Wage and Reimbursement Rates For California Employers

Anthony Zaller — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:59:04 -0800

2012 Requirement

Source

California Minimum Wage

$8.00 per hour (unchanged from previous years)

California’s Industrial Welfare Commission

San Francisco Minimum Wage

$10.24 per hour

City of San Francisco

Computer Professional Exempt Salary Rate

$38.89 or annual salary of not less than $81,026.25 for full-time employment, and paid not less than $6,752.19 per month

Division of Labor Statistics and Research

Hourly Physicians Exempt Hourly Rate

$70.86 per hour

Division of Labor Statistics and Research

IRS Mileage Rate

55.5 cents per mile for business miles driven

Internal Revenue Service

Template To Comply With Wage Theft Protection Act of 2011 Notice Requirement To All Hires Beginning in 2012 Published By Labor Commissioner

Anthony Zaller — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 16:53:49 -0800

Today the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (“DLSE”) published a template that employers can use in order to comply with the new notice requirements set forth in Labor Code section 2810.5. A Word version can be downloaded here and a PDF version can be downloaded here.

All California employers are required to provide a notice to all employees hired beginning on January 1, 2012 that complies with the requirements of section 2810.5. The new law required the Labor Commissioner to publish a template for employers to use in order to comply with the new law. For more information regarding the notice, and the new law, see my previous post.

I’ve only had a chance to do a quick review of the template, but one area of new information that the DLSE is apparently requiring on the notice is whether the “employment agreement” is oral or written in the wage information section of the template. The new Labor Code section 2810.5 did not require this to be on the notice to the employee, but the law does provide that there may be “[o]ther information added by the Labor Commissioner as material and necessary.” I am wondering if the fact that all employers are required to provide this information on the form necessary means that the “employment agreement” is therefore always going to be written.

Can Employees Agree To Waive Berman Hearings In Arbitration Agreements?

Anthony Zaller — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 12:26:30 -0800

I’ve recently written a series of posts regarding the Berman hearing process available for employees to resolve wage disputes before the Labor Commissioner. See previous posts: Overview Of Berman Hearings Before The Labor Commissioner and How To Prepare For a Berman Hearing. But can an employer have an employee sign an arbitration agreement in which the employee agrees to waive any rights to a Berman hearing, and all claims against the employer must proceed directly to arbitration? A good question, to which there is not currently an answer. The issue is currently under review by the California Supreme Court in the case Sonic-Calabasas A, Inc. v. Moreno.

This also leads to the issue of why might an employer want to have all claims proceed directly to arbitration, and skip-over the Berman hearing. As the California Supreme Court stated in its initial review of the Sonic-Calabasas case in early 2011, the Berman hearing provides the employee a number of benefits:

These provisions include the Labor Commissioner's representation in the superior court of employees unable to afford counsel, the requirement that the employer post an undertaking in the amount of the award, and a one-way attorney fee provision that requires an employer that is unsuccessful in the appeal to pay the employee's attorney fees.

It is an interesting background on how the Sonic-Calabasas case proceeded through the Courts. The California Supreme Court has already ruled on the Sonic-Calabasas case in the early part of 2011. At that time, the Court held that a waiver of the Berman hearing process in the arbitration agreement was unconscionable and contrary to public policy, and was not preempted by the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA). Therefore, the California Supreme Court ruled that this waiver of the Berman hearing process was not an enforceable provision of the arbitration agreement. However, shortly after this ruling, the United States Supreme Court issued a ruling in AT&T Mobility v. Concepcion, a separate case out of California in which the US Supreme Court held that the FAA preempted California law and found that a class action waiver provision in arbitration agreements can be enforceable. For more information on AT&T Mobility you can listen to my podcast on the case here. The employer in Sonic-Calabasas A v. Moreno filed an appeal with the US Supreme Court to review the California Supreme Court’s ruling invalidating the Berman hearing waiver in the arbitration agreement. The US Supreme Court granted review, but recently sent the case back to the California Supreme Court to review the case again and to apply the standards set forth in AT&T Mobility v. Concepcion. So, we are waiting for the California Supreme Court to review the issue once again to have a definitive answer to the question.

All California Employers Have New Employee Notice Requirements Beginning January 1, 2012

Anthony Zaller — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 15:23:30 -0800

The new law affecting every employer in California is the Wage Theft Protection Act of 2011. It takes effect on January 1, 2012 and adds additional notice and record keeping requirements that employers must comply with. The new law added Labor Code section 2810.5, which requires private employers to provide all new employees with a written notice that contains certain information.

The new law requires private employers to provide all newly-hired, non-overtime-exempt employees with a disclosure containing the following information:

(a) The job rate or rates of pay and whether it pays by the hour, shift, day, week, salary, piece, commission, or otherwise, including any rates for overtime.
(b) Any allowances claimed as part of the minimum wage, such as for uniforms, meals, and lodging.
(c) The employer's regular payday, subject to the Labor Code.
(d) The employer's name, including any “doing business as” names used.
(e) The address of the employer's main office or principal place of business, and its mailing address, if different.
(f) The employer's telephone number.
(g) The name, address, and telephone number of the employer’s workers’ compensation insurance carrier.
(h) Other information added by the Labor Commissioner as material and necessary.

The new law also requires employers to notify employees in writing of any changes to the information in the notice within seven calendar days of any changes, unless the changes are reflected on a timely wage statement that complies with Labor code Section 226. Employers also do not need to notify employees of any changes if the change is provided in another writing required by law within seven days of the changes.

The new law requires the Labor Commissioner to publish a template for employers to follow in order to comply with the law. The Labor Commissioner’s website states it is “anticipated” and the template will be published in mid-December. However, as of the publishing of this post, the Labor Commissioner has not yet published the template.

There is no prescribed requirement in the law about how long this notice should be retained, but as wage and hour violations contain a four year statute of limitations, these notices should be retained in the employee’s personnel file for four years. It is also important to note that the new law does not apply to exempt employees. However, if there is ever a challenge to the employee’s classification as exempt and they are found to be non-exempt, this provision could result in increased penalties. Therefore, it may be wise to complete this form for exempt employees just as a safety precaution.

How To Prepare For a Berman Hearing

Anthony Zaller — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 12:10:17 -0800

My last post provided an overview of the Berman hearing process when an employee begins a claim for unpaid wages with the Labor Commissioner. If the parties do not settle the claim at the settlement hearing, then the matter will be set for a Berman hearing pursuant to Labor Code 98(a). The Berman hearing was designed to provide both parties a quick and easy way to resolve wage disputes. I like to think of it as very similar to a small claims proceeding. However, unlike small claims court which can only hear cases were the amount in dispute is $7,500 or less, the Labor Commissioner can hear and rule upon wage claims of any size.

The formality of the Berman hearing varies dramatically from the Deputy Labor Commissioner who presides over the hearing. Some of the Deputy Labor Commissioners like the hearings to proceed in a very formal manner, much like a civil trial, while others are very hands off. Generally, each side will present their case, and will have the ability to cross-examine the other parties and witnesses. There are no set rules on how the hearings are supposed to be conducted, such as which party must present evidence first. I’ve even had a Deputy Labor Commissioner take a witness out of logical order of testifying in order to accommodate the witness’s schedule. The rules of evidence do not apply, so the process can take many different forms. Also, as I mentioned in my post describing an overview of the Berman hearing process, parties may have a lawyer represent them in front of the Labor Commissioner, but it is not required.

Unlike a civil trial, parties preparing for a Berman hearing generally are not allowed to conduct discovery to get a preview of the facts and witnesses the other side will present. So preparation for a Berman hearing may be a bit of guesswork, it is usually possible for the employer to get a good idea of the employee’s claims from the face of the complaint and the facts and issues that were discussed during the settlement conference. There are, however, a few items employers should do when preparing to defend a claim at a Berman hearing:

Prepare an opening statement setting forth what the evidence will show during the course of the hearing. Again, while some Deputy Labor Commissioners may simply start the proceeding without an opening statement, it is a good practice to have a short 5 minute summary of what your evidence will show.
Prepare an outline of the issues each witness will testify to. This helps streamline the testimony, and ensures that all of the items necessary areas are covered.
Prepare an outline for points to make during a cross-examination of the employee (as well as any potential witnesses).
Bring relevant witnesses to the hearing.
Bring the appropriate documents to use as exhibits.

Before the hearing beings, all of the witnesses are sworn in and the testimony given during the hearing is recorded by an audio recorder. This is why it is important to be prepared, know the law, and to know which admissions are important to obtain. If the employer appeals the Labor Commissioner’s ruling, both parties may obtain a copy of the audio recording of the Berman hearing. It is very critical to know the issues, and the use the Berman hearing as a way to get testimony in order to assist your case if there is an appeal of the Labor Commissioner’s ruling.

Overview Of Berman Hearings Before The Labor Commissioner

Anthony Zaller — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 14:23:07 -0800

I’ve had a lot of interest from clients lately about the details of the administrative hearing process that employees can pursue before the California Labor Commissioner. With this interest, and just having represented a client at a Berman hearing this week, I wanted to explain the process in a series of posts.

An employee seeking recovery of unpaid wages has two options to pursue recovery: (1) file a civil lawsuit or (2) file a wage claim with the California Labor Commissioner under Labor Code section 98 et. seq. If the employee pursues her rights through the Labor Commissioner, the Commissioner will send notice to the employer regarding a settlement conference. This settlement conference is an informal conference during which a Deputy Labor Commissioner attempts to settle the case. Both parties may present their arguments, but the Deputy Labor Commissioner does not issue a ruling or decide any issues at this settlement conference.

If the settlement conference does not result in a settlement, the case will be set for an administrative hearing, known as a Berman hearing, pursuant to Labor Code section 98(a). During the Berman hearing, both parties can present their cases through testimony, witnesses, and documents. The hearings are basically mini-trials, but the formal rules of evidence do not apply. Moreover, parties do not need to be represented by a lawyer, but lawyers are regularly present to assist in presenting the evidence. The parties’ and witnesses’ testimony is under the penalty of perjury and the deputy labor commissioner records the hearing, and this audio recording can be obtained by the parties at a later date. The Deputy Labor Commissioner is supposed to issue an order, decision, or award setting forth the rational for his or her decision within 15 days of the Berman hearing. However, it has been my experience that the order, decision, or award is not usually issued in this time period given the drastic cuts in budgets and the huge workload facing the Labor Commissioner.

The Labor Commissioner’s award is binding on both parties, and is an enforceable judgment in Superior Court. The award, however, may be appealed to Superior Court by either party.

Employees Forfeit $34.3 Billion In Unused Vacation Time - Except In California

Anthony Zaller — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 13:48:40 -0800

All too common is the assumption that because a company’s policies comply with Federal law, and perhaps other states’ laws, the policy should be fine under California law. This wrong assumption is clearly illustrated by a recent study by Expedia that estimates employees forfeit $34.3 billion in unused vacation time across the U.S. From what I’ve read, I do not see any adjustment in the study for the fact that such use-it-or-lose-it vacation policies are illegal under California law.

California law is clear that while paid vacations are not required, if a California employer provides for paid vacations, these benefits are considered wages and are earned by the employee on a pro rata basis for each day of work. Moreover, because vacation is a form of deferred wages and vests as it is earned, vacation wages cannot be forfeited – so no "use-it-or-lose-it" policies. An employer can place a reasonable cap on vacation benefits that prevents an employee from earning vacation over a certain amount of hours, and the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement has opined that a cap that allows at least nine months for the employee to use the vacation after the vacation was earned is a reasonable cap. See DSLE Enforcement Policies and Interpretations Manual section 15.1.4.1. Moreover, Labor Code section 227.3 requires that when an employment relationship ends all vacation earned but not yet taken by the employee must be paid at the time of termination.

Use of Ships To Skirt California Laws?

Anthony Zaller — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 09:11:36 -0800

The Wall Street Journal is reporting about the plans of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs who would like to anchor a ship 12 miles off the San Francisco coast in order to skirt U.S. Immigration laws. They project that the ships could hold 1,000 people at a cost for a room roughly equivalent (if not cheaper) to an apartment in San Francisco. The entrepreneurs view this as a viable option for tech start-ups to have access to skilled workers, who are having a difficult time obtaining H1-B visas to live and work in the U.S. Since it is simpler to obtain a B-1 visa that permits the worker to travel to the U.S. for meetings, seminars, and training, the ship would act as a staging area for the workers outside of the U.S., but still allow them to work in close proximity to the start-up company. The article mentions that the legal ramifications of immigration law may not permit this, but it made me wonder if the employer would effectively not have to comply with the California Labor Code as well.

I believe it would be hard for the California Courts to establish that the Labor Code would apply to the workers stationed in a ship outside of the U.S. boarders for work completed outside of the state. Recently, the California Supreme Court held in Sullivan v. Oracle Corporation that California Corporations that employ non-resident workers in the state of California are subject to California’s Labor Code provisions, such as requirements for overtime pay which are vastly different than other states’ law and federal law (click here for a more detailed analysis of the Oracle decision). The Court in Oracle explained that states have broad authority under their police powers to regulate employment matters within their boundaries (such as child labor laws, minimum and other wage laws, and workers compensation laws). The Court stated, “To exclude nonresidents from the overtime laws’ protection would tend to defeat their purpose by encouraging employers to import unprotected workers from other states.”

However, that case was limited to work performed in California. The scenario proposed by the Silicon Valley entrepreneurs is vastly different, where non-citizens perform work outside of the U.S. and California boarders, and only travel into the State for meetings. It is analogous to the situation where employees living in China, but working for a California corporation, routinely travel to California for work. Under Oracle, the argument could be made that the employees may have to be paid according to California law for the work done while in California, but it is unlikely this requirement would extend to the work done outside the state while on the ship. These types of issues will be more and more common given how technology is changing the traditional concepts that workers have to be in a certain building, or even country, while performing work.

Webinar: New Laws Facing California Employers In 2012

Anthony Zaller — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 16:55:01 -0800

Governor Brown signed a number of new employment laws that take effect in January 2012. During this webinar, we will cover the new obligations facing employers under these recently enacted employment laws as well as the proper steps employers should take to comply with them. The discussion will also cover the recent oral argument in Brinker Restaurant Corp. v. Superior Court and what steps employers should take while waiting for the Supreme Court’s ruling.

Oral Arguments In Brinker Restaurant Corp. v. Superior Court

Anthony Zaller — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 11:41:21 -0800

What can I say, technology is awesome. The oral arguments in Brinker v. Superior Court that took place on November 8 are already on Youtube:

The Supreme Court has 90 days from oral argument to issue its decision.

My Jury Experience

Anthony Zaller — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 13:04:57 -0800

I had the pleasure of serving on a jury here in Los Angeles this month. It was a criminal case that lasted about one week. From a litigator’s perspective, the service was very interesting, and very informative. Here are a few lessons I picked up from my jury service:

Lawyers need to keep their cases short, sweet, and interesting. Our case did involve some science, and the lawyers lost some of the jurors. At one point, a jury actually went to sleep and started to snore. Whose fault was this? The lawyers, and in no way to I fault the other juror because I was feeling the same way. Courtrooms are very drab places without windows. Add a lunch to the equation, and there is no doubt that jurors would rather be taking a nap than hearing an expert try to explain the science behind blood alcohol content for a third time.
The jurors were very attune to credibility issues. I thought that I was the only one to notice some credibility issues with certain witnesses given my litigation experience. However, during deliberations almost every other juror picked up on the same cues I did in determining who was telling the truth.
It still is a chance to leave your case up to the jury. You never know what evidence a jury will find persuasive.
I have a new found respect for the system. I was very impressed with the sense of obligation the other jurors felt towards doing what was right in the case. Everyone listened to the Judge’s instructions and did their best to reach an impartial conclusion.
Don’t avoid jury service. I hear it all of the time, “Our legal system is broken, something must be done to fix it.” Our Founding Fathers ensured that we always had a way to fix a broken system, and that is why they wanted a jury of one’s peers to resolve disputes. It is a great way to keep a check on the government overzealously prosecuting citizens or a way to make sure a frivolous lawsuit in civil court ends in the best way possible. In addition, if you are selected to serve on a jury, it is actually very interesting to see the case play out, what other jurors found persuasive as evidence, and to reach a conclusion with your fellow jurors.

New Law Imposes Large Penalties For Misclassification Of Independent Contractors

Anthony Zaller — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 09:31:58 -0800

Over the weekend, Governor Brown signed S.B. 459 into law (among other employment bills) which makes employers liable for civil penalties of $5,000 to $15,000 for each violation of “willful misclassification” of employees as independent contractors. In addition, if it is found that the employer has a pattern and practice of misclassifying independent contractors, the penalties can increase to a minimum of $10,000 to $25,000 per violation. The new law adds Sections 226.8 and 2753 to the Labor Code.

The new law imposes the penalties for a “willful misclassification,” which is defined as:

"Willful misclassification" means avoiding employee status for an individual by voluntarily and knowingly misclassifying that individual as an independent contractor.

Click here to read more information about the factors considered in determining whether a worker qualifies as an independent contractor and other areas of liability employers face in addition to this new law.

Internet Posting

In addition to the substantial civil penalties, employers who violate the law are also required to post a notice on their website, or if the employer does not have a website they must post it in an area available to employees and the general public, for one year about the violation. The notice must contain the following information:

(1) That the Labor and Workforce Development Agency or a court, as applicable, has found that the person or employer has committed a serious violation of the law by engaging in the willful misclassification of employees.
(2) That the person or employer has changed its business practices in order to avoid committing further violations of this section.
(3) That any employee who believes that he or she is being misclassified as an independent contractor may contact the Labor and Workforce Development Agency. The notice shall include the mailing address, e-mail address, and telephone number of the agency.
(4) That the notice is being posted pursuant to a state order.

The law gives the Labor Commissioner the power the collect the civil penalties. There is also an argument that individual litigants may recover a portion of the civil penalties by bringing a Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) claim. However, PAGA was not amended to specifically deal with the new labor code sections created by the new law, so there will undoubtedly be litigation over the extent the new law is actionable under PAGA, or the legislature may amend PAGA to clarify this issue.

The intent of the legislature is clear by passing this law - it does not want independent contractors to be used in California. Employers must therefore be very careful in conducting the analysis of whether employees are properly classified as independent contractors.

California Supreme Court Likely to Issue Ruling in Brinker Restaurant v. Superior Court Soon

Anthony Zaller — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 15:49:01 -0800

Today, the California Supreme Court set oral argument in Brinker Restaurant v. Superior Court (Hohnbaum) to take place on November 8, 2011. The Court typically provides a ruling on cases within 90 days of oral argument, so I expect a ruling very early in 2012.

This case is the much anticipated ruling on whether employers need to “ensure” meal breaks or merely make the breaks available to employees. The Supreme Court explains, "This case presents issues concerning the proper interpretation of California's statutes and regulations governing an employer's duty to provide meal and rest breaks to hourly workers." Click here for a detailed analysis of the lower court’s ruling and the different issues that the Supreme Court may address.

The Supreme Court has issued "grant and hold" order pending the ruling in Brinker for the following cases and the Brinker decision will likely determine the issues in these cases as well:

S168806 BRINKLEY v. PUBLIC STORAGE
S184995 FAULKINBURY v. BOYD & ASSOCIATES
S186357 BROOKLER v. RADIOSHACK CORPORATION
S188755 HERNANDEZ v. CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL
S191756 TIEN v. TENET HEALTHCARE
S194064 LAMPS PLUS OVERTIME CASES
S195866 SANTOS v. VITAS HEALTHCARE

I will continue to provide case updates routinely as the decision nears.

Me? A Top 25 Employment Law Blog?

Anthony Zaller — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 13:02:28 -0800

Thanks for the readers of the California Employment Law Report for their support in being named a top 25 employment law blog in 2011 by LexisNexis.

With all of the different social media available today, it is hard to decide what to focus on. However, as I’ve said before, I think blogging can really assist a lawyer in keeping current with the law, and helping the general public to have a better understanding as well. Plus, my blogging has lead to meeting some great people - the highlight this year was my interview with Guy Kawasaki. Looking forward to meeting many more.

Thanks for reading. I will be rolling out a new idea in the next month I’ve been working on for some time now that should be an interest for readers. Check back soon. Thanks for the support.

World's Best Policy To Minimize Employment Litigation

Anthony Zaller — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 13:15:18 -0800

It is not often that the California Employment Law Report can opine outside of the boundaries of the state of California, but I am going out on a limb on this one. I came across what I would recommend to every employer as a way to reduce litigation. In the book, End Malaria, a new book published by the Domino Project, the chapter, Three Words From Ann Landers, written by Scott Stratten of UnMarketing, has the following recommendation:

Take these three words that Ann Landers recommended as a test and try them with your team for one day (I dare you):

Good.True.Helpful.

If what you’re about to say or email to someone doesn’t meet two out of those three criteria, reword it or don’t say it at all.

Instead of saying “Late again, eh?” you can say “Mike, you’re a valuable member of this team, and when you’re late it hold up everyone’s progress. What can I do to help you?

Scott says that people using his recommendation don’t even need to use all three criteria – just two. Companies spend so much time thinking about what type of messages they send their customers through marketing and sales campaigns, but do they spend even 10% of that effort into thinking about how to communicate with its own employees? Give it a try, and I bet the payoff will show up in higher employee retention, higher morale, and less lawsuits.

Can Employers Require Employees To Take Polygraph Tests In California?

Anthony Zaller — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 13:46:24 -0800

Simple answer: No. Employers cannot require that employees take a polygraph test, but if the employee voluntarily agrees to take the test, and the employer makes certain disclosures to the employee, then the employer may administer a polygraph.

California Labor Code section 432.2 is the governing labor code section. It states:

432.2. (a) No employer shall demand or require any applicant for employment or prospective employment or any employee to submit to or take a polygraph, lie detector or similar test or examination as a condition of employment or continued employment. The prohibition of this section does not apply to the federal government or any agency thereof or the state government or any agency or local subdivision thereof, including, but not limited to, counties, cities and
counties, cities, districts, authorities, and agencies.

(b) No employer shall request any person to take such a test, or administer such a test, without first advising the person in writing at the time the test is to be administered of the rights guaranteed by this section.

Therefore, employers may administer polygraph tests if the employees voluntarily agree to the test and are informed of their rights under Labor Code section 432.2. Employers need to be careful, however, as federal law may also apply. It also raises a difficult issue for the employer: What if the employee refuses to take the test? Under section 432.2 the employer cannot use this refusal to take the test as grounds to terminate the employee. If there is a termination, the employee would likely argue that it violated his or her rights under this section, and this would leave the employer in a difficult position in explaining why the termination occurred.

DOL Proposal May Require Employers To Provide More Wage Information To Employees

Anthony Zaller — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 13:07:14 -0800

The DOL is pushing for regulations to require employers to provide more information about how employee’s paychecks are calculated. This week, the Labor Secretary Hilda Solis said that the Department of Labor is backing a proposal that would require employers to provide more information to employees in order help stop wage and hour violations. Bloomberg reported that the proposal “would require companies to give employees a report explaining how their pay and hours are set and is aimed at ensuring companies compensate workers for overtime.”

Many states already require certain information to be provided to the employees on their paystubs. For example, California Labor Code section 226(a) has specific requirements of the type of information that must be provided on employee wage statements. That section provides:

Every employer shall semimonthly, or at the time of each payment of wages, furnish each of his or her employees either as a detachable part of the check, draft, or voucher paying the employee's wages, or separately when wages are paid by personal check or cash, an itemized statement in writing showing: (1) gross wages earned; (2) total hours worked by each employee whose compensation is based on an hourly wage; (3) all deductions; provided, that all deductions made on written orders of the employee may be aggregated and shown as one item; (4) net wages earned; (5) the inclusive dates of the period for which the employee is paid; (6) the name of the employee and his or her social security number; and (7) the name and address of the legal entity which is the employer.

Many California employers, as well as out-of-state employers, often are unaware of this requirement, which can expose them to substantial penalties, even for minor, technical violations of this section.

Is The Jury Still Out On Social Media Background Checks?

Anthony Zaller — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 11:13:37 -0800

Mat Honan at Gizmodo wrote recently about a new company that helps employers search applicant’s “internet background” to assist in the hiring process. As Mat rightly points out, much of the concern over this “new technology” is overblown, and as he puts it, "[e]mployers would have to be stupid not to Google job candidates." As I have pointed out before, much of the unduly concern is that lawyers don’t understand the technology, and therefore if they don’t understand it, their client’s use of the technology can only lead to bad things.

I think Guy Kawasaki had a great perspective on this issue when I recently interviewed him. He said he would be worried about a job applicant who did not have a Facebook page: what is wrong with this person? Is he anti-social? Is he not with the times or just simply does not understand simple technology? As Mat points out as well, with some common sense a job applicant can easily manage the results of an online search by being careful about which information he or she provides to the employer. For example, an internet search for the job applicant’s private email address might turn up more personal information than if the applicant has a separate email they only use for work purposes and lists on their c.v.

From the employer’s perspective I don’t think the analysis changes much for searching employees background on the Internet:

If using an outside company, make sure the background check complies with the Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act and any state equivalent
Do not create fake identities in order to gain access to individual’s social networks
Rely on common sense and make the determination about hiring or firing based on the same criteria that employers already use and not on any illegal criteria.

Generally, under Federal law, employers may utilize social networking sites to conduct background checks on employees if:

The employer and/or its agents conduct the background check themselves;
The site is readily accessible to the public;
The employer does not need to create a false alias to access the site;
The employer does not have to provide any false information to gain access to the site; and
The employer does not use the information learned from the site in a discriminatory manner or otherwise prohibited by law.

California Supreme Court Holds Nonresident Employees Entitled to California Overtime - Sullivan, et. al. v. Oracle Corporation.

Anthony Zaller — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 11:24:27 -0800

In Sullivan, et. al. v. Oracle Corporation, the California Supreme Court ruled on whether California's overtime laws apply to out-of-state residents who perform work in California. The Court held that California’s interests in protecting all workers who perform work within the state are sufficient enough to require that California based employers must pay all out-of-state workers who perform work in California according to California’s overtime requirements.

The Plaintiffs were employed by Oracle as instructors who train Oracle’s customers in the use of the company’s products. Two Plaintiffs reside in Colorado, and another plaintiff resides in Arizona. The Plaintiffs primarily worked in their home states but also performed work in California and other states. During the relevant time period for this case (2001-2004), Plaintiff Sullivan worked 74 days in California, Plaintiff Evich worked 110 days, and Plaintiff Burkow worked 20 days.

The case came to the California Supreme Court as a request by the Ninth Circuit to decide unresolved questions of California law. The issues presented to the Court were:

Does the California Labor Code apply to overtime work performed in California for a California-based employer by out-of-state plaintiffs in the circumstances of this case, such that overtime pay is required for work in excess of eight hours per day or in excess of forty hours per week?
Does Business and Professions Code section 17200 apply to the overtime work described in question one?
Does Section 17200 apply to overtime work performed outside California for a California-based employer by out-of-state plaintiffs in the circumstances of this case if the employer failed to comply with the overtime provisions of the FLSA?

Does California Overtime Apply to Out-Of-State Plaintiffs Working In California?

The Supreme Court held that the Plaintiffs were owed California overtime. It explained:

California’s overtime laws apply by their terms to all employment in the state, without reference to the employee’s place of residence. The overtime statute declares simply that “[a]ny work in excess of eight hours in one workday and . . . 40 hours in any one workweek . . . shall be compensated at the rate of no less than one and one-half times the regular rate of pay . . . .” (Lab. Code, § 510, subd. (a), italics added.) The civil enforcement provision provides that “any employee receiving less than . . . the legal overtime compensation applicable to the employee is entitled to recover in a civil action the unpaid balance . . . .” (Id., § 1194, subd. (a), italics added.) Moreover, a preambular section of the wage law (Lab. Code, div. 2, pt. 4, ch. 1, §1171 et seq.) confirms that our employment laws apply to “all individuals” employed in this state (id., § 1171.5, subd. (a), italics added).

The Court explained that states have broad authority under their police powers to regulate employment matters within their boundaries (such as child labor laws, minimum and other wage laws, and workers compensation laws). “To exclude nonresidents from the overtime laws’ protection would tend to defeat their purpose by encouraging employers to import unprotected workers from other states.”

The Court was clear that the holding in this case is limited to the facts presented to it. The court stated, “[t]hus, we are not prepared, without more thorough briefing of the issues, to hold that IWC wage orders apply to all employment in California, and never to employment outside of California.” (emphasis in original).

Does B&P Code Section 17200 (“Unfair Competition Law” or “UCL”) Apply to The Unpaid Overtime?

The Supreme Court held it does, stating:

We have already decided that the failure to pay legally required overtime compensation falls within the UCL’s definition of an “unlawful . . . business act or practice”

Does the UCL Apply When To Claims Under the FLSA for Overtime Worked By Nonresidents In Other States?

The Court concluded that the UCL does not apply to claims under the FLSA for alleged violations that occurred in other states. It explained that in holding so would extend the UCL to apply outside of California’s boarders, in violation of the “presumption against extraterritorial application.”

California Employment Law Podcast - AT&T Mobility v. Concepcion Decision On Class Action Waivers And Arbitration Agreements

Anthony Zaller — Mon, 23 May 2011 13:49:51 -0800

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